


Peacebringer

by AlgaeNymph



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-05 01:03:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4159734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlgaeNymph/pseuds/AlgaeNymph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shortly after the events of Undefined Fantastic Object, Reimu receives thanks for bring peace between humans and youkai.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peacebringer

    It was a lazy early afternoon in the Hakurei Shrine, just like every other day.  Reimu barely noticed the sunlight’s movement showing the passing of time, so engrossed she was in her newspaper, reading yet another article about the UFO Incident’s aftermath.  She did, however, notice the reek of alcohol increase in intensity.

    She looked up at the childlike oni whose breath burned her nose.  “What do you want?” she said to Suika.

    Suika mmm’d a bit, thoroughly relaxed in her drunkenness.  “What’cha readin’?” she asked.

    “Another article about that troublesome youkai magician,” Reimu replied.

    “Marisa?”

    Reimu’s brow furrowed a bit.  “She’s not a youkai magician, and she went with me during that Incident.”

    Suika tilted her head.  “Alice?”

    Reimu started to glare.  “She’s not troublesome, and why am I even playing along with this?”

    Suika smirked.  “Patchouli?”

    “She never leaves her li-” Reimu slammed the table.  “You’re not stupid just because you’re more drunk than usual!  Just look at the damn paper.”

    Suika did.  “Wow, my vision’s blurry, everything’s upside down…”

    “Quit it already, you’re just at the other end of the table,” Reimu said.  She then rotated the paper around and held it up for Suika.  “Here, read this.”

    Suika just giggled.  “I can’t, her _huge boobs_ are in the way.”

    The little oni broke down into a fit of giggles that only intensified when Reimu growled, rolled up her newspaper, and smacked Suika with it.  Hard.  Repeatedly.  A preoccupied oni wouldn’t have noticed a baseball bat hitting her, but Reimu just wanted to swat an annoyance.

    Suika’s giggling slowed down enough for her to talk.  “Take it easy.  Why so serious?”

    Reimu huffed.  “Because she’s yet another upstart rival who’s stealing my shrine’s faith, that’s why.”

    “I know how you can get more faith,” Suika said.

    Reimu perked up.  “You do?  Then please tell me!”

    Suika giggled.  “You need to get yerself some _huge boobs_.”  Reimu’s face twisted in frustration.  “Yer Mom had huge boobs.”

    Reimu put down her paper roll and picked up her gohei instead.  “Mom had _food_.  Are you gonna get me some food, or are you gonna keep pissing me off?”

    Suika held her palms up.  “All right, all right, I’ll get you something.  How about a bear?  You like bear.”  Reimu nodded.  “Kay.  I’ll get ya some steaks before nightfall,” Suika said as she turned to leave.

    “And make sure to perform the purification ritual before entering the shrine grounds,” Reimu said.

    Suika turned her head and smirked.  “You’re sure there’s any point to that for a shrine that houses a drunken oni.”  Reimu lifted her hand and her Hakurai orb floated up and ready.  “Okay, okay, I’ll do the ritual,” Suika said quickly, before quickly leaving.

    As Suika ran away, Reimu sighed and slumped down.  She then unrolled her paper and got back to reading the article on the newcomer, the youkai magician Byakuren Hijiri.  Reimu felt some empathy for that hashihime she encountered during the Hot Springs Incident.  This woman seemed to have everything: power, followers, probably wealth, _definitely_ beauty.

     _If I were attracted to women_ Reimu thought.  She looked at the photo of Byakuren some more, she was conversing with a villager.  Byakuren was openly friendly, while the villager seemed wary.  _I don’t see what the big deal about breasts are, anyway.  Maybe it’s an oni thing.  Her_ hair _stands out way more to me.  How’d she get the color that way?_

    Reimu stopped musing on the newcomer’s appearance and went back to reading the article.  “Youkai Magician Eager to Learn About Humans” was the title, and it was all about the exciting tale of walking and talking, but done by a celeb-

    shhthunk

    The sound of an offering!

    Reimu perked up as much as her ears did, quickly got up, hopped over her table, and went out to thank her visitor.

    “Thank you very much for…” then Reimu saw her, “…your generous donation.”

    Byakuren stood in front of the donation box, just about the ring the _suzu_ chimes, and looking a bit surprised.

    Reimu was able to get a good look at Byakuren now that she was in swatting distance.  Right away, Reimu could tell her hair color was no trick of the light.  The top of her head looked closer to the _suzu_ than seemed usual; Reimu guessed she was a head taller than her, tall even for a Western woman.  Her forearm looked notably meaty, and her breasts were as large as Suika went on about.  Her slim waist showed that this wasn’t due to stockiness.

    “May I?”  Byakuren asked.

    Reimu, hands on hips, cocked her head.  “What’s a Buddhist doing praying at a Shinto shrine?”

    Byakuren’s lowered her arm and clasped her hands, a serene smile on her face.  “Honoring the gods, Lady Hakurei.  Our religions were not so separate in my time.”

    “Well this is _my_ time,” Reimu said, “and I won’t have some upstart declaring victory in _my shrine_.”

    “I would hardly take credit for your work, Lady Hakurei-”

    Reimu rubbed her forehead.  “Just ‘Reimu,’ please.”

    Byakuren bowed slightly.  “I thank you for your invitation to familiarity.”

    “Whoa, who said we were friends here?” Reimu asked.  “I just don’t do formality.”

    “Understood,” Byakuren said, “I will address you as you prefer.”

    “Anyway,” Reimu said, “if you’re not here to gloat, why are you here?”

    Byakuren’s smile widened.  “I am here to thank you for bringing peace to this land.  I was hopeful when I was first taught your non-lethal dialing system, and am joyful that it was adopted by everyone here.  Thanks to your efforts, peace between human and youkai is almost assured.”

    Reimu rolled her eyes.  “In other words, I did your work for you?  Great…”

    Byakuren’s smile flattened into a line.  “This is a monumental accomplishment.  How can you be so callous about it?”

    Reimu sighed.  “Do you know how many people came up and thanked me for the Spell Card Rules?”  She looked Byakuren in the eye.  “ _You_.”

    Byakuren’s eyes and mouth opened in shock.  “Surely somebody else must have thanked you.”

    “Marisa might have,” Reimu said, “but she certainly didn’t gush about it.”

    “And nobody else?”

    Reimu shrugged.  “ _Maybe_ somebody came up to me in the last five years or so, but I’ve been told that my memory for people is kinda bad.  I _know_ , though, that it hasn’t happened often.”

    Byakuren’s mouth hung open, her eyes were watering.  “My gods…” she mumbled to herself.  “No wonder your disposition is so foul.”

    Reimu cocked an eyebrow.  “Eh, you actually noticed?  And here I thought you stupidly loved everybody.”

    Byakuren looked quizzical.  “I’m confused.  You sound like you think little of compassion, yet you created a life-saving dueling system.  Please explain this contradiction.”

    “I created the Spell Card Rules because I didn’t like bloodshed,” Reimu said, “not because I cared about people.”

    “I’m still confused,” Byakuren said. “Isn’t abhorring bloodshed compassionate?”

    “I dunno,” Reimu replied, now quite annoyed with Byakuren’s line of questioning, “I guess I was more interested in making friends with people than killing them?”

    “That still sounds compassionate,” Byakuren replied.

    “Look, I made the Spell Card Rules for _me_ , because of what _I_ wanted,” Reimu said, jerking a thumb to herself.  “I wanted to take it easy, and I couldn’t very well do that when I’m worrying about getting killed, now can I?”

    Byakuren smiled a bit.  “Your story reminds me of my own.  I began learning magic from youkai out of fear of death.  I learned what I sought to, but I also learned that my teachers were not simply means to an end but people.  I had great power, and nobody was helping youkai, so it was my responsibility to do so.”

    Reimu cocked her head.  “What?  You’re saying I’m going to end up like you?  Have you _seen_ how I treat people?”

    “I’ve seen just now that you’re honest about yourself,” Byakuren said, “and honest to others.”

    “Listen, _maybe_ I’ll be friendlier as the years go on, though I doubt it, but my priority is going to be this,” Reimu said, patting her donation box.  “I want donations, I want faith, and I want all of it.”

    “Was that your motivation for creating the Spell Card Rules?” Byakuren asked.

    “No… Oh, I know where this is going…” Reimu grumbled, grasping her head.

    Byakuren giggled a bit.  “Then I suppose I needn’t repeat myself.  However, I am curious as to why you seem hostile to the idea of being compassionate.  Do you fear that you’ll receive no thanks for your actions?”

    “No, I _know_ I won’t get any thanks,” Reimu said,  “The reason I don’t want to go on about giving and loving is because that wouldn’t be _honest_.  I’m _selfish_ , Byakuren, and so’s everyone else.”  Byakuren leaned back as Reimu leaned forward.  “Everyone’ll claim to be care about family and community when we in fact only value people as much as what we can get out of them.  Sure, we don’t screw people over just because we can’t get anything from them, but be sure that every act of kindness is calculated.”  Byakuren only looked more fearful as Reimu continued ranting.  “ _Maybe_ they like the ideal of kindness, but they care more about that than any individual people.  That’s what social harmony is all about: pretending to care about others when we really don’t.”

    Byakuren was speechless.

    Reimu just stared.

    They said nothing for a while.

    Byakuren finally spoke.  “I see the lack of gratitude for your accomplishment has affected you deeply.  You say bitter things that I know you don’t mean.”

    “Oh, I’m pretty sure I meant every word,” Reimu said.

    “Yet you yourself told me just now that you created the Spell Card Rules because you wanted to make friends,” Byakuren replied.

    “I also felt that good deeds generally got rewarded,” Reimu said, “I’m a different person now.”

    “So you mean to say that you are no longer interested in making friends?”

    “No- I mean yes-  Grragh!”  Reimu grasped her head with both hands.  “I never know how to answer questions phrased that way.  Anyway, yeah, I do want to make friends.”

    Byakuren exhaled.  “That’s a relief to hear.  Let me assure you that people are not as uncaring as you feel.”  Reimu rolled her eyes at that.  “From my conversation with her, I know that Marisa cares deeply about you.”

    “She’s one of the exceptions to the rule,” Reimu said, “and a _really_ ironic one.”

    Byakuren nodded.  “Indeed, it heartens me to see such a larcenous person be so generous.”

    “She actually cares about me,” Reimu said, relaxing a bit, “unlike _some_ people who only care about _causes_ ,” Reimu said, looking intently at Byakuren.

    “I believe I’m better understanding your distrust,” Byakuren said.  “As you are a woman who judges people by their actions, I would be honored if you were to accept my formal offer of friendship and hospitality.”

    Reimu squinted at Byakuren.  “In exchange for what?”

    “Nothing,” Byakuren said, smiling, “I simply wish to be another friend for you, and I feel you desperately need one.”

    Reimu said nothing for several moments

    “Okay, I suppose we can be friends,” Reimu said, “though if you cause another Incident then I’m coming after you,” she said, tilting her gohei toward Byakuren.

    “Of course,” Byakuren said, “I understand your role as an incident resolver.”

    “Really?  Just like that?  I know that if you were to cause trouble then it’d be because you thought you were doing the right thing.”

    “Truly?” Byakuren said.  “I was hoping to cause one because of a childish whim.”  Reimu looked at her like she grew a third breast.  Byakuren turned her head toward the Western horizon.  “Perhaps I could make it sunset forever, I never tired of Hokkai's vistas…”

    “You’re not serious,” Reimu grumbled.

    Byakuren turned back toward Reimu, eyes closed and smiling .  “No, I’m not.  I’m in fact a very silly person, Nazrin would gladly tell you so herself.”

    Reimu exhaled in relief.  “Good,” she said, “I already stopped one woman from screwing with sunshine and she _still_ has this crush on me that’s as childish as her body.  I mean, she thinks she can _buy_ my affection just by letting me live in her mansion as her concubine.”

    “Perhaps that’s the only way she knows how to show affection, and she just wants to get to know you?” Byakuren said.

    “Yeah, maybe,” Reimu said.  “I don’t think she wants to use me to take over Gensokyo.”

    Byakuren looked concerned.  “Is she someone we need to worry about?”

    Reimu shook her head.  “Nah, though she did try to take over the Lunarian capital by herself once.  It ended predictably.  Would’ve ended gruesomely if it weren’t for Marisa…” Reimu trailed off.

    Byakuren nodded.  “Indeed,” she said, “she’s so close to righteousness, were it not for her larceny…”

    Reimu squinted at Byakuren.  “That larceny kept me fed.”

    Byakuren blinked.  “What about Gensokyo’s caretaker?  Does she not care for you?”

    Reimu grimly chuckled.  “Like some animal to screw around with for amusement,” she grumbled.  “At least she treats me better than her actual animals, though.  She usually slips me a nice donation when she gaps in, and sometimes leaves me some expensive meat or booze.”

    Byakuen hmm’d.  “She sounds worrisome, yet caring at the same time.  Do you think she would be a good ally?”

    Reimu shook her head.  “She likes to let youkai run wild while keeping humans around to feed them fear.”  Byakuren sighed.  “She did co-sign the Spell Card Rules with me though.”

    Byakuren perked up.  “Did she?  Then perhaps there’s hope for her yet.”

    Reimu shrugged.  “Nah, I think she just gaps in evil humans to eat now that the locals are off-limits.”

    Byakuren closed her eyes and frowned.  “She sounds…negligent.”

    Reimu snapped her fingers.  “Yeah, that the word I was looking for.”

    “Well be assured that I will be more than willing to take care of you in her stead.  If you ever need a place to stay something to eat, or someone to talk to, then I’m here for you.”

    Reimu held out her hand.  “Whoa, I’m not interested in taking pity handouts, especially from someone trying to convert m-”

    Reimu shut up when Byakuren reached over the donation box and hugged her.

     _Wow, she’s both hard and soft_ Reimu thought.

    Then she got her wits together.  “What do you think you’re doing grabbing me?!” Reimu snapped.

    “You were being obstinate again, and talking wasn’t working,” Byakuren said conversationally.  “Doesn’t this feel better?”

    Reimu training noted that Byakuren would be off-balance leaning over for a hug.  _Go limp, drop, force her down with me_.

    Reimu let herself go…and Byakuren easily lifted her up and swayed her back and forth.

    “I’m quite strong even without my spells, Reimu,” Byakuren gently said.

    * * *

    Reimu hated training, it was tiring, and boring.

    Reimu wasn’t bad at training, Mom said she was getting better and better at running around and smacking the magic ball with her magic stick.

    Sometimes the ball would hit Reimu, har-.

     ** _CRACK!_**

     ** _“AAAAAANNNNGGGG!”_**

    The tall, muscular woman in modified shrine maiden garb rushed over to her bawling, injured child.  The woman reached out to the offending orb as it idly rolled away, it stopped, and rolled gently towards her.  As it stopped in front of her and her daughter, she called upon the god of the Hakurei to mend Reimu once again.

    Reimu felt a crackling and a pop as her bones knit, her pain now a dull ache.

    Reimu looked up at her mother.  “I’m sorry for crying, Mommy,” she said.

    Her mother looked down gently.  “You’re still training and growing, you’ll get used to the pain eventually but right now you’re still a child.  You shouldn’t be expected to fight like an adult.”

    “But I have’ta fight!  What if you get eaten like our grandparents-”

    Her mother pulled Reimu in for a strong, gentle hug.  “I won’t let that happen.  I’ll make sure you’ll be able to take care of yourself before I’m gone.”

    Reimu felt safe again.

    * * *

    Reimu felt tears well up in Byakuren’s embrace.  She had to do something to keep her dignity _now_.

    “Byakuren,” Reimu said, “I’m sorry I was a bitch to you, and I think you’d be a really good friend.  Also, this is kinda embarrassing.  Would you please put me down.”

    “Of course,” Byakuren said, as she gently set Reimu down.

    Reimu took a breath to regain her composure.  “So…what now?”

    “If I may…?” Byakuren said, motioning with her arm at the rope and _suzu_ chimes over the donation box.  Reimu nodded, and Byakuren went to pray.  She walked the few steps to the rope, pulled on the chimes, clasped her hands, closed eyes, and began chanting.

    Reimu had no idea what language Byakuren was speaking, only knowing it had a lot of ‘ah’ sounds.  She’s have to ask Marisa about it later.

    Finished, Byakuren turned to Reimu with a pleasant smile.

    “So,” Reimu said, “What’d you pray for?”

    “I prayed that we’d be able to finish what we started and have humans and youkai live in peace.”

    Reimu suppressed the urge to say something snide, having learned just what Byakuren is.  She instead gave a tense chuckle.  “I still don’t get how you think I could ever be anything like you,” Reimu said, shaking her head.

    “Who were you complaining about earlier?” Byakuren said.

    “People-”  Reimu’s eyes widened. “Oh, I get it.”

    “Yes,” Byakuren said with a nod, “that the difference between human and youkai is a superficial one.”

    “I wouldn’t quite go that far,” Reimu said, “youkai are still people, but they’ve got powers that humans don’t.”

    “Powers that humans like myself can learn,” Byakuren said.

    Reimu tilted her head.  “So, you plan on starting a school?”

    “That would be a good idea,” Byakuren admitted, “but I’m still in the process of setting up my community.  Which reminds me,” she said, before bowing deeply; “I’m terribly sorry, but I need to attend to business.  I’m afraid I will have to delay our more social meeting for another time.”

    “Pity, we could’ve talked over sweet tea about the articles on you.”

    “I’d make a rather boring topic, as I’m just a simple monk.”

    “And I’m just a shrine maiden.”

    Byakuren giggled.  “Be that as it may, the sweetened tea sounds good.  Everyone else in the village considers it taboo.”

    Reimu folded her arms and smiled.  “Just buy the tea in one shop and the honey in the other.”

    “Perhaps I can do that as I head into town.  We shall talk later, Reimu.  Thank you for your work and friendship.”  At that, Byakuren turned to the _torii_ and walked away.

    “Aren’t you going to fly away?  I thought you were in a hurry?”

    “I thought it would be more respectful to the Hakurei God if I walked.”

    As Byakuren walked away, Reimu went to her donation box and checked inside.

    Reimu stopped at what she saw and reached inside in disbelief: she pull out the largest wad of cash she ever saw.

    Reimu turned to Byakuren and waved vigorously.  “Thank you very much for your generous donation!”

     

**Author's Note:**

> Given that the Spell Card Rules mean that humans and youkai can fight without killing each other, it'd make sense that Byakuren would be very interested in, and thankful to, its creator.
> 
> I think I'm seeing where my writing style's changing, with more description and less "[character] said."
> 
> I'll be honest, Reimu's mentality in this fic mirrors my own trust issues, which is quite ironic considering Byakuren's my favorite character.


End file.
